April 20, 2018
By Megan Golden
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame baseball team dropped its series opener versus Virginia Tech, 9-1, on Friday night at Frank Eck Stadium.
Notre Dame (15-23, 6-13), which opened an 11-game homestand on Friday, dropped its fourth straight, this time against Virginia Tech (17-21, 7-12).
How It Happened
Virginia Tech got on the board first as Michael Fernandez doubled to right field and came around to score on a sacrifice fly, putting the Hokies up, 1-0, in the third inning.
Irish starter Cole Kmet allowed a long single to right center in the fourth, and the Hokies drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with nobody out. Nick Menken hit a sacrifice fly to center to make the score 2-0.
Jack Owens singled to left field in the fifth, and Luke Horanski was hit by a pitch, putting runners at the corners. Virginia Tech’s Sam Fragale laid down a bunt single in front of home, allowing Owens to score and extend the Hokies lead to 3-0.
Fernandez led off the sixth inning with a double off Cameron Brown. A single from Stevie Mangrum moved Fernandez to third, and Owens delivered a hit up the middle that scored Fernandez with nobody out. Horanski walked with two down, and Joe Freiday connected for a three-run homer to left, opening a 7-0 lead over the Irish.
Virginia Tech added to its lead with an RBI-double off Brian Morrell in the eighth. Morrell issued his second walk of the inning and then allowed Owens to score on a wild pitch. Virginia Tech took a 9-0 lead into the eighth.
Ryan Cole connected for a two-out triple, the first of his career, in the ninth. In the next at-bat, Jared Miller pinch hit and drove in Notre Dame’s first run. That was not enough, however, as the Irish fell to the Hokies, 9-1.
Notes
- Notre Dame moves to 12-9 in the all-time series against Virginia Tech, going 5-4 at home.
- Notre Dame is 5-7 at Frank Eck Stadium in 2018.
- Freshman Cole Kmet worked 4.2 innings and allowed three runs with three strikeouts in his first career start on the mound.
- Brandon Knarr threw 1.0 scoreless inning out of the bullpen.
- Jack Sheehan threw 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
- Ryan Cole recorded his first career triple in the ninth inning.
- Jake Johnson owns an 11-game on-base streak during which he is batting .385 (15-39) with nine walks, four runs scored and five RBI.
- Eric Gilgenbach has collected five multi-hit games in the month of April (12 games). During that span, the outfielder is batting .341 (14-for-41).
Up Next
Notre Dame and Virginia Tech meet for game two of the three-game series at 2:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, when graduate student Scott Tully takes the mound for the Irish. The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra and aired on 103.1 FM (South Bend)/WatchND.
For a behind-the-scenes look at the Irish baseball program, follow @NDBaseball on Twitter and @NotreDameBaseball on Instagram. For tickets to an Irish baseball game, click here.
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Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame baseball and women’s soccer programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.